Article of footwear including a monofilament knit element with a fusible strand

Abstract

An article of footwear including a full monofilament upper is described. The full monofilament upper incorporates a knitted component including a monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element is formed by knitting with a monofilament strand. The monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the remaining portions of the knitted component, including peripheral portions that are knit using a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn. An inlaid tensile element can extend through the knitted component, including portions of the monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element may be knitted with a monofilament strand according to a variety of knit structures. A fusible strand may be knit with the monofilament knit element. Upon heating, the fusible strand can combine and surround the monofilament strand within the monofilament knit element.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A knitted component comprising: a monofilament knit element formed by at least one monofilament strand, wherein the monofilament knit element comprises alternating courses including (1) the at least one monofilament strand and a fusible strand, and (2) the at least one monofilament strand without the fusible strand;
 wherein the alternating courses include at least a first course, a second course, and a third course; wherein the first course comprises the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand, the first course being continuous with the second course; wherein the second course comprises the at least one monofilament strand without the fusible strand, the second course being continuous with the third course; wherein the third course comprises the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand; and wherein the second course is disposed between the first course and the third course, and 
 wherein the fusible strand at least partially covers the at least one monofilament strand upon heating the monofilament knit element to at least a glass transition temperature of the fusible strand. 
 
     
     
       2. The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand have substantially similar diameters. 
     
     
       3. The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one monofilament strand is made of a thermoset polymer material and the fusible strand is made of a thermoplastic polymer material. 
     
     
       4. The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one monofilament strand consists of a single monofilament strand and the fusible strand consists of a single monofilament strand formed from thermoplastic polymer material. 
     
     
       5. The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the monofilament knit element defines substantially all of an exterior surface of an upper of an article of footwear and an opposite interior surface of the upper, the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot; and wherein the monofilament knit element extends (a) through each of a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear, and (b) across a top of the upper between a medial side and a lateral side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
       6. The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein a first monofilament strand of the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand are adjacent to each other and run together along a course of the monofilament knit element in an unheated configuration of the knitted component. 
     
     
       7. The knitted component of  claim 6 , wherein the first monofilament strand of the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand are at least partially combined together along a course of the monofilament knit element to form a combined strand in a heated configuration of the knitted component, the heated configuration being at least the glass transition temperature of the fusible strand. 
     
     
       8. The knitted component of  claim 7 , wherein the combined strand comprises an outer layer of the fusible strand surrounding a portion of the first monofilament strand. 
     
     
       9. A method of manufacturing a knitted component, the method comprising: knitting a monofilament knit element using at least one monofilament strand;
 wherein the step of knitting the monofilament knit element further comprises: knitting alternating courses including (1) the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand, and (2) the at least one monofilament strand without the fusible strand such that a first course comprising the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand is continuous with a second course comprising the at least one monofilament strand without the fusible strand, and the second course is continuous with a third course comprising the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand; and wherein the second course is disposed between the first course and the third course; and 
 wherein the fusible strand at least partially covers the at least one monofilament strand upon heating the monofilament knit element to at least a glass transition temperature of the fusible strand. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the monofilament knit element is knitted exclusively using the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand, the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand having substantially similar diameters. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the method is performed using a knitting machine; and wherein the step of knitting the at least one course of the monofilament knit element using the fusible strand further comprises: knitting a course of the monofilament knit element using a first monofilament strand and the fusible strand that run together from a dispending tip of a feeder of the knitting machine. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising heating the knitted component including the fusible strand. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the step of heating the knitted component further comprises providing an amount of heat sufficient to reach a glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic polymer material forming the fusible strand; and wherein the first monofilament strand of the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand are at least partially combined together along a course of the monofilament knit element to form a combined strand after the thermoplastic polymer material cools from the glass transition temperature.